What Makes You Happy
by HarleyQuinn23
Summary: Quinn, a successful, thirty-year-old lawyer, has found herself in an unfamiliar city working on a case. She has everything she wants, or at least she thinks she does. In a chance encounter, she reunites with someone from her past who helps show her how she can truly be happy. Puck and Quinn future fic. One-shot. Potential for full-length story.


**I was listening to a song, got inspired, so here is the fruit of that inspiration. Please pay attention to the song lyrics. They are important. Also, if you can, listen to Tyler Hilton's "Just a Girl" as you read. The song is adapted from that one, and I think it fits these two amazingly. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own the characters or the song.**

**Chapter 1- Just a Girl **

Unfamiliar places always seemed so mysterious with antiquated décor and unusual objects all around, acting as timekeepers to preserve the past; that's what she thought, at least. This place was no different with its wall art. The bar was dark, but she could see license plates, guitars, pictures, and beer paraphernalia on the walls, and as the young woman scanned the multitude of items, she wrestled with a smile when she saw a car tag with an Ohio emblem. Quinn hadn't thought about Lima in years.

She had never gone back after going to Yale because that was her past. The small, sleepy little town didn't have anything to offer her. Now, nearly fifteen years from the last moment she'd seen her hometown, Quinn had a new horizon in sight. Fresh off her thirty-first birthday, Quinn had accomplished a lot of great things in her life. Graduating _suma cum laude_ and in the top five percent in her class, Quinn had traveled to Europe and toured the world before settling in Chicago, working for the best law firm in the Midwest.

She wasn't married, but she might as well have been. She was such a workaholic that her lover was always clad in briefs, waiting for her with great angst and excitement. She was, in all intents and purposes, married to the _briefs_ and legal documents that tethered themselves to her desk. Quinn seemed to always throw herself into her work, taking on more cases than she needed, but it was her choice. Her favorite professor at Yale had always told her that she couldn't do what she really wanted unless she put everything she had into the job. And so far, his advice had paid off; she was about to make junior partner. She told herself she was happy with the way things had worked out thus far, but Quinn had never really convinced herself that she had everything or everyone she needed to make her happy.

So there she sat, in the hazy bar surrounded by strangers, but somehow feeling like she was welcomed. Happiness, was well on its way. Looking at the Ohio license plate made her feel nostalgic, but she attributed her feelings to the the town's southern hospitality. Tennessee was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of her non-stop city life.

Quinn had never been to Nashville, but the law firm she was working for had a giant case slated for the next couple of weeks, so she found herself in Music City ready to spear-head the case. If things went well, she was sure her promotion would be announced within months.

"Here," a man about her age said as he slid her drink across the table. "Sorry it took so long. I couldn't remember what you said you'd wanted, but then I remembered. But then the bar tender had to get another bottle of juice..."

Brian smiled at Quinn who took the drink, and she smirked at his flustered demeanor. "Thanks," she said as she bit down on the straw, tasting a hint of vodka and cranberry. "It's what I wanted."

Brian Cooper was Quinn's partner in crime. They had both been hired by the firm the same year, and each had traveled up the rank and file of the practicing lawyers with their stellar brains and charming personalities. It was no surprise that both of them were sharks in the courtroom, taking no mercy and showing no pity, but outside of work they were actually very good friends; the competition between the two ended in the courtroom. They acted more like brother and sister than anything, dogging the other and making jokes about the cases that should have been won easily, but it had become clear to Quinn in the past few months that Brian may have been looking to step things up with their relationship.

Brian began rambling as Quinn took delicate sips of her drink. "I know you said that you were fine with the hotel's bar, but I figured we might as well listen to a little live music while we're here. The concierge recommended this place, and it seems pretty nice so far," Brian continued as he checked his Rolex. Smirking, he spoke convincingly. "One of the guys upfront said the first act will come up soon. They're supposed to be some local band, a regular, real good." Brian said, reassuring her with a smile.

Flirty by nature, Quinn cracked a smile. "You know, if you get enough drinks in me, I might just get up on stage and sing," she chirped.

Brian laughed, "I know. That was my plan. You've talked about being in Glee Club in high school, but I've never heard you sing. Now's my opportunity."

Quinn shook her head as she lifted her glass to her lips. "We'll see."

They made small talk as a crew set up the stage for the band, and when the house lights went down, everyone's attention turned to the stage. Four guys approached: one sat behind the drums, another behind the keys, the third behind the bass, and the last behind the mic, but not before he spun an acoustic guitar around his shoulder. As Quinn and Brian watched, the whole crowd erupted into loud cheers. It was obvious that this band was a favorite, and the two out-of-towners were anxious to hear them.

"Hello, Nashville." the lead singer said. "It's good to be back. We're the Tug and Boat Band, and it's great to be here tonight. We're gonna start with a slow one, but it's a good one, an old one. Sing along if you know it."

Quinn squinted her eyes to get a better look at the singer, but the lights and the distance between them made it hard to focus on his face. His voice seemed familiar-maybe she had heard it on the radio, but something about him was enticing, enchanting even. He was smooth sounding and confident, and he commanded the attention of the audience.

The lead singer counted off and then the music began. Cheers echoed down the tables toward the stage, and Brian nudged Quinn. "You wanna get closer?"

Quinn looked at the place where several people had gathered and she raised her shoulders. "We can."

Brian finished off his beer and set it down, extending his hand toward Quinn. "Come on," he said.

Quinn took his hand and let him lead her to the floor. Closing the gap between herself and the stage, Quinn was suddenly struck with a vision from her past. As the lead singer stepped up to the mic, her memories came flooding back. Feeling like time had stopped, Quinn looked at the man on stage in awe. Standing in the middle of the floor with Brian, Quinn couldn't do anything but stare up into the eyes of the boy she had once loved.

_When I moved to Nashville_

_to do some thinking_

_I kept a journal_

_of what went wrong_

_I had my list of_

_every problem_

_of every person and the way_

_to sing a song_

_But things will go the hard way_

_when you don't belong_

The lead singer had had his eyes at the back of the room while he sang, but as he started the chorus, he was suddenly drawn to a woman right in front of him. She was just standing there; he hadn't known for how long, and he couldn't believe it. It was her. Her hair was still blonde. She still looked the same in yellow. But, it was her eyes that gave her away.

_And I don't mind it_

_but I still need her_

_cause she's so pretty_

_it's hard to leave her_

_well, don't you buy it_

_if you see her_

_she's just a girl_

_And I'm a country singer_

Quinn felt tears in her eyes well. She knew exactly what he was talking about. She had lived it. Watching him sing brought back so many old feelings and memories, some good and bad, but mostly good. As he continued to sing, she couldn't believe what the years and time had done to him. It was more like hadn't done, actually. He looked the same, except for the mohawk. He didn't have that anymore. But he looked just like the boy she had kissed a couple of nights before graduation. He had a full head of dark hair and a few more wrinkles on his forehead, but he was still the same. He sounded the same, too.

_She was a dancer_

_A teenage dreamer_

_Who'd taught me how to love_

_But it started goin' wrong_

_Oh, and I believed her_

_Cause she was honest_

_now I'm thinking _

_She was just leadin' me on_

_And I wish I didn't miss her_

_ever since I've been gone_

He started to sing the chorus again, and Quinn tried to keep it together. She could feel his emotion with each word; she could feel her own emotions. Quinn looked deeply into his eyes as he sang to her and smiled, both of them knowing that this moment was a longtime coming. In an instant of clarity, they both felt the same pounding beneath their chests. As he moved into the last verse and bridge, Quinn's chin started to quiver.

_And I've been minding my ways_

_on this lonely ole train_

_so full of grand complications_

_now heading for the rain:_

_my destination_

_I'm wondrin' if she's okay_

_Cause, she she's so scared of thunder_

_so I'm on my way_

_And I won't mind it_

_if when I see her_

_she looks happy_

_then I'll believe her_

_but I won't buy it_

_until I see her_

_cause she's just a girl_

_yeah she's just my baby_

_yeah she's just a girl_

_and I'm a county singer_

_Yeah she's just a girl_

_my only girl_

As the instruments slowly faded from the amplifiers and danced around the room, Quinn felt his eyes burning through hers, singeing her heart at the very same time. She was sure everyone in the crowd noticed; how could they not? Brian had definitely recognized the tension.

"Do you know him?" he whispered into her ear.

Quinn, unable to answer him, simply nodded. Her stomach fizzled with nerves, and the butterflies he once could stir in her had come back to life.

Puck had written the song the second week he'd been in Nashville. He'd never intended on writing a song about her, but it was one of those natural things that he wasn't going to fight. It had happened so easily that he had actually had it ready to play the same night. And the feelings he'd felt that night, the longing and desperation, the heartbreak and disappointment, were something he'd never forgotten.

Admittedly and for a while, Puck had thought that he'd see her in a crowd one night, that she'd run up to him after the song was over, give him a big kiss, and they'd have one of those Hollywood reconnections that only happened in the movies. But that dream was quickly stomped out when he realized the chances of that happening were slim to none. She was in college a thousand miles away and with no inclination to visit.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Puck said, "I'm not sure if I've ever told y'all about the reason I wrote that song."

Quinn's cheeks and ears burned with shock and a little embarrassment. Never one to be put on the spot, she felt like a fish out of wanter, floundering in an unpredictable and hazardous environment. She knew he wouldn't do anything too radical, but it was Puck standing in front of her—anything could happen.

"You see," Puck started, "most of y'all know, but I came down here after I graduated high school and tried to make it big as a singer/songwriter." The audience laughed because they had heard that same dream from every other person who had ever moved to town. "I didn't even have a place to live, so I was in the run-down motel by the river." A cheer erupted from the back and Puck smiled. "So you know it," he joked. "But anyway, I was fresh off of a heartbreak that I've been nursing ever since, and tonight..." Puck looked down to Quinn and smiled before looking back to the lights. "Tonight, I hope that girl knows just how important she was to me."

A collective 'awe' spread through the crowd, which caused Puck to laugh lightheartedly. "Maybe one day I'll get to tell her in person." He squinted his eyes as they reflected the light, and he looked down to Quinn. "But 'til that day..."

Whistles and hollers bounced around the room and Puck waved, appreciating the support the crowd was giving him. "But 'til that day, I'll have to stick with the songs she inspired me write." Puck turned to his bandmates and smirked, "What do ya say, boys, ready to play some real music?"

The drummer smacked his sticks together as he counted down to the next song. It was an upbeat song, and the people standing around Quinn and Brian started to dance, but Quinn didn't feel like dancing. She felt more like throwing up.

Sensing the color drop from her cheeks, Quinn suddenly felt lightheaded. She didn't tell Brian where she was going, but she knew she had to get out of there. Walking through the throngs of people who had now started to fill the bar to its capacity, Quinn couldn't seem to find a spot with fresh air to fill her lungs.

Pushing through the front door was like changing different climates. The sticky skin Quinn felt bubble all down her arms was suddenly cooled and her hot lungs were immediately filled with crisp air. A sudden sense of relief pooled in her belly. The spinning had stopped, but Quinn quickly found a bench to sit on so she didn't topple to the ground.

"Quinn," a concerned voice called out. "Quinn, are you okay?"

Brian hurried out of the door and knelt down by her side. He could see the tears that had started to well in her eyes. He didn't even know where to start. Brian had no idea what had her so upset, but he was inclined to think it had something to do with the song or band or singer.

"It's nothing," Quinn lied. "I'm fine. I just got really hot. Was it hot in there to you?"

Brian furrowed his brow. "No. I was fine." He didn't believe her excuse and prodded her once more. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Quinn took a deep breath and nodded. "Positive. I'm...I'm just going to take a walk for a little bit. Go back in. I'll be inside in a few minutes."

Not wanting to upset her even more, Brian agreed but hesitantly walked back inside.

Pushing herself up from the bench, Quinn looked up to the sky and hoped for some sort of sign, direction or indication that she needed to be elsewhere. But nothing came. Deciding against the stars for guidance, Quinn took to the streets on her own two feet as her compass rose. She didn't have any destination in mind, but Quinn had walked nearly three blocks by the time she'd realized just how far she had gone.

The whole time she couldn't seem to get his song lyrics out of her head. She'd known that Puck had gone to Nashville at the end of the summer after graduation, but she had never really heard about him after that.

As Quinn turned around and headed back to the bar, she became washed with the thoughts of the times he'd tried to tell her how he felt. And, it had all started with Beth._ Beth._ She hadn't said that name in nearly fifteen years. Those memories had been suppressed for so long that Quinn wasn't even sure what the baby looked like anymore. She'd lost the pictures she'd taken when she was born, but Quinn thought it was all for the best. Beth had been adopted, and she was sure her little girl was a moody teenager somewhere out there experiencing life like she deserved.

But what about Puck? Quinn had totally abandoned him the summer Beth was born. And Senior year, she didn't have an excuse for that, but she knew she had hit rock bottom then; she only wished she had allowed Puck to be the one to save her when she had needed saving from herself.

But things got better, and they both started to trust each other again. And then there was the night that Puck revealed he was sorry for it all, which was the moment she started to feel those butterflies again. A bit scared of it all, Quinn didn't act on those feelings, though. She'd kissed him for good luck to instill some confidence in him before a test he needed to take, but that was just for show. Well, she told herself that, but the butterflies had come back then, too.

So now, as she wandered the dark streets of Nashville with the neon signs pointing her back towards the bar, Quinn knew she had to act on the butterflies now, before it was too late and they were gone forever.

As she entered the bar, his voice filled her ears again. His voice melted her insides to such a degree that she had to lean on the nearest table for support. Her lip began to quiver and then she staggered over to an empty bar stool. Without much thought, she ordered a shot of something strong, trying to calm the nerves she felt inside.

Brian saw her from across the room and moved to be next to her. He had her phone and purse in his hands. "Quinn, do you want to get out of here?"

She turned to him and looked at his face, studying the concern she saw in his eyes. As she opened her mouth to answer him, she looked passed his face and saw Puck on the stage. For some reason she couldn't understand, Quinn didn't want to leave. Her mind was screaming yes in her head, but her heart kept her stuck to the stool.

"I think...I think I'm going to stay here. I need to talk with..." As she tried to explain, Brian looked over his shoulder. Quinn reached for his tie and smiled, pulling on it to get his attention. "I need to talk to him. Alone."

Brian wasn't about to leave her at a bar in an unfamiliar city without a way to reach him. "Here," he said, handing her her phone and setting down her purse. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I' going to go back to the hotel. Call me if you want me to come get you. I can send a cab."

Quinn smiled appreciatively. Brian was always good in a crisis. He was like a quiet hero, and she loved him for not asking too many questions. "Thank you," she said. "I'll call you when I head back."

Brian looked at her in the eyes once more and took a deep breath. He leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, causing Quinn to tear up, and then she hugged him.

As he left the bar, Quinn spun on her stool to face the stage. During the conversation she'd had with Brian, she had somehow missed the band's exit from the stage. They were just the opening act, but now Quinn wasn't sure where to start. How did she get a chance to see him? Would he want to see her? How did she get backstage?

Turning back to the bar, Quinn looked at the empty glass in front of her and sighed. She needed a plan.

"This seat taken?" A voice said.

Already looking down, Quinn's eyes moved to her arms as she watched the goosebumps rise. It had to be him. The heat she felt boil in her chest, the way his words traveled through her head, and the catch in her own throat told her it had to be Puck.

Slowly turning to her left, Quinn's eyes met his. He smiled at her as he sipped a beer. "It's a metaphor, you know." Quinn's lips curled into a smile when he smirked. He'd always had such a cute smile. "I don't really sing country songs," he said, arching a brow as he waited for her to respond.

Quinn's chest caught fire and she shook her head, a little unsure what he was talking about. "I'm sorry?"

Puck laughed. He had always thought of her as the smart one. "The song I sang. The first one. It's a metaphor."

Quinn's confusion changed to an inviting smile. She had never known he could use such big words. "What about?" Quinn knew what it was about, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"You. It's about the girl I loved making me turn into a country singer, a person who wastes away for the one thing he knows he can never have." Puck took another sip of his beer and sighed. "I mean, that's what they all write about, you know. Break-ups, trucks, dead dogs..."

Quinn laughed and covered her mouth with her hand. "You've changed a lot." He looked the same, but he was mature, even smart-sounding. He was still silly, but so charming.

"You haven't," he retorted. "You look the exact same." His eyes wandered up and down her body before resting on her face. "You're still just as pretty as you were in high school."

Quinn shook her head. "No. I know that's not the truth. But," she bit her lip, "thanks for lying."

Puck stretched his arms out and smiled, spilling some of his drink on the floor. He set his beer down and crossed his arms. "So, what brings you to town?" Puck asked.

"Work," Quinn answered.

"And what is it that you do, Ms. Ivy League?"

Quinn gave him a stern look and shook her head. "I'm a lawyer."

Puck's smile widened. "Of course you are," he laughed.

Quinn moved closer to him and smiled. "What do you do? I mean, besides sing?"

Puck sighed. "Construction during the day, but I sing almost every night. It pays the bills."

Quinn looked into his eyes. She thought she saw her reflection in his eyes, and then she took a deep breath. "Are you happy?"

It was a fair question. She could ask him, and Puck answered her honestly. "I'm happy now."

Silence filled the space between them. How was she supposed to interpret that? Was it her? Was it him singing that made him happy? Was it this moment in time? Quinn felt her chest pound and her cheeks become painted with a rosy blush. She was so nervous around him. He had always had that way about him.

As Puck looked to the woman next to him, he silently cursed Time and Fate. In some other lifetime, he would have waited for this moment, held out for her like he should have, but Puck had moved on with his life. While Quinn had and would always been his muse, he had another woman in his life whom he loved.

"I'm married," Puck whispered.

Quinn was suddenly numb. She looked to him to see if he was serious. He didn't have a ring on his left hand, and she had never thought of him as the type to settle down. "Wow," she muttered, trying to mask her feelings of surprise and regret.

Puck smiled. "It will be six years in another month." Puck reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Her name is Annie." Thumbing through the small folds in the leather, Puck presented Quinn with a picture. "And these are our two boys," Puck said as he pointed to the two dark-haired children. "Noah is five, and Ford is two and half."

Quinn's eyes softened as she looked at his family. They were beautiful. She knew then why he was happy. He had a family he loved, and he got to do what he loved. "I'm impressed, Puck. I'm happy for you." Quinn said.

"What about you?" Puck asked. "You have a family at home?"

Sighing, Quinn shook her head. "No. I'm not even married."

Puck's brow furrowed. "I half expected you to have four or five kids by now, be a stay at home mom."

Quinn smiled at him. _That was the plan, wasn't it? _She thought. Quinn had wanted a big family, a house with a picket fence, and dog lounging in the shade of a big oak tree. But, plans change; people change. "I took a little more time to myself during college. I wasn't worried about finding a husband. I studied hard to really earn my degree. Then it was work...work, work, work."

Puck smirked, "That doesn't really surprise me. You were so smart. I bet your super successful and the best at what you do."

Quinn's cheeks warmed. "How can you be the same Puck that I went to high school with?" She laughed and shook her head. He was so mature and kind and polite.

"I've always been the same ole Puck. I think..." He swallowed slowly and looked into her eyes as he spoke candidly, "I think you never wanted to see it."

Quinn knew he was right. "I'm sorry for that."

"Hey, I'm okay. You're okay." Puck reached for her shoulder and rested his hand on her bare skin. "And trust me, we would have never worked."

Quinn smiled with a nod of her head. With a slight laugh, Quinn agreed, "I know."

"How long are you going to be in town for?"

Quinn raised her shoulders. "It depends on the case. At least a week, but it could be two or three." She looked down at her wrist and her eyes widened. "We have to be at the courthouse at eight tomorrow."

Knowing it was nearly midnight, Puck got up off his stool. "You should get going. Let me get you a cab."

Quinn stood up, gathered her things, and followed Puck out of the bar. He whistled at a cabbie who had taken a smoke break and waved him over. "Hey, Lenny, can you please take her to..." Puck smiled at Quinn. "Where are you staying?"

"The Hermitage." Quinn answered.

He smirked. "Fancy. Lenny, she needs a ride to the Hermitage. You still on the clock?"

As they waited for the cabbie to finish his cigarette, Puck turned to Quinn. "I'd like to see you again. Here's my number." He gave her a card with the band's info. "This is what we give people who book us for events."

"Now I feel special," Quinn laughed.

"Really. I'd love for you to meet the boys and Annie. She won't believe you're real."

Quinn raised her brow. "You told her about me?"

"We met the first night I played that song about you. Naturally, she asked who it was about. I told her."

Quinn smiled. "Everything?"

Puck nodded. "Everything."

The cab pulled up to the curb and Puck opened the door. "So, I'll see you around?"

Quinn's eyes started to glaze over. She wasn't upset or sad; Quinn was happy. She was genuinely happy that she had seen Puck tonight. At first she was scared of how he made her feel, but like he had said, they weren't an issue. They had a storied past, but now it was time to think of their future, and it was clear to her that he would like to be friends.

She leaned into him to give him a hug, and as they embraced, she smiled. He smelled the same and his arms felt the same around her small frame.

"It was good to see you, Puck."

Puck pulled away and nodded. "You too, Quinn. Please give me call."

Quinn smiled as she lowered herself into the cab. "I will."

After she shut the door, he handed the driver a couple of folded bills and slapped the top of the cab. A puff of exhaust rose into the humid air, and then the car pulled away into the night.

Quinn turned around and waved at Puck from behind the window. He looked so handsome in the moonlight, with a shadowy complexion and darkening silhouette. As he became a figure in the night, Quinn knew that things had changed. A weight she carried lifted from her, and she smiled. Quinn hadn't known that she had never really achieved closure with him; she didn't think she really needed it. She had never really known just how important he was to her. And now that she closed that chapter of her life for good, the butterflies she'd thought were gone were now free to fly for someone else.

She had always heard that people don't ever forget their first love, but it didn't mean that she couldn't get over him. Puck had his life and she had her own. It was time now to find someone she would love just like Puck had.

So, as the cab pulled up to the curb of the hotel's entrance, she thought of the reservations about the man who was waiting for her upstairs. Was he the right one? She would never know unless she gave him a chance. Mustering up courage she had garnered from Puck, Quinn walked into the hotel ready to finally be happy, knowing that it was Puck who had opened her eyes to the life that she deserved.

**THE END**

**How did you like it? I think if Quinn ever needed convincing about how to be happy, Puck would be the perfect person. **

**This is just a one-shot; however, the summer is quickly approaching, so I might turn it into a full-blown story, but I don't know. Is anyone interested? **

**Review please. Thanks for reading.**


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